4

A Chapter by Amber

*Around nine or ten years previously*

It’s early January and it’s miserable, but what do you expect not only do I live in England I’m from some small suburban town on the outskirts of Liverpool. Today the weather really was perpetuating the stereotype that it’s grim up north, and before I can force myself to crawl out of bed my mind wanders to all of the places in the world I could move to once I’m an adult. My eyelids get heavier as the light drumming of rain reverberates through my room, my mind is filled with images of cosmopolitan cityscapes and exotic sandy shores.

My alarm buzzes for what must be the third time this morning. I heave my body up and grab my phone, flipping it open to switch off the alarm. 7:20am. I had forty minutes before I had to leave eurgh, the first day back to school after the holidays was always difficult but I suppose it has to be done.

“Alexia! Are you not up yet?” I could hear the shrill tone of my mother’s voice being carried up the stairs, penetrating through my bedroom door. “It’s the first day back you don’t want to be late!”

I rolled my eyes and threw myself back down into my pillows; I’d been awake all of what? One minute and she was already annoying me. Instead of shouting down a reply a grabbed a book off my bedside table and hit it on the floor a few times so she would hear movement from downstairs and let up with the shrieking already.

I’d had a shower last night, so I didn’t need to worry about that and well I hadn’t yet hit the age were I was overly concerned about my appearance, so it wasn’t like I was going to spend ages doing my hair and make up.

I plaited the front section of my hair and tied it back so it was neatly out of my face, and grabbed my uniform from the wardrobe, my only decision being do I wear tights or long socks. I opted for tights with it being such a miserable day. I slowly made my way downstairs only half dressed, looking a little dishevelled if truth be told with my shirt untucked and my tie untied around my neck.

I reached the kitchen and tried to keep my gaze at the floor, I didn’t really feel like having a conversation with anyone in my family today, not that I ever did to be honest with you. It wasn’t that they were awful people, they were just not my kind of people and I wasn’t theirs. I never lived up to my mothers expectations, my father resented the fact that I was a girl, and my big brother well he was just so perfect in their eyes I could never match up to him. And I already knew all of this at the ripe old age of eleven (very nearly 12), I guess it’s true what they say kids are very receptive.

Anyway, I avoided conversation like the plague as I had started doing a few months ago, ate my cereal in relative peace and went back upstairs to brush my teeth and grab my bag.

7:55am. Wow time really can fly. After brushing my teeth and making myself look presentable it was basically time to get going. I put on my blazer, slung my bag over my shoulder and bolted out of the house.

“I’m off now, bye” I yell back into the house as I close the door.

Thankfully the rain seems to have given up for now, considering I spend about half an hour walking to school I’m glad, otherwise I’d have to spend first period all damp.

I fumble through my blazer pockets for my mp3 player, s**t I almost speak my thoughts out loud as I realise I must have left it at home. Great now I get the joy of having to make the entire journey in silence with my own thoughts.

As I trudge along my heavy steps hit the pavement, sporadically sending splashes of water from the earlier downpour up my legs. I sigh as I come to the realisation that I probably will have soggy feet throughout first period after all.

Just as I hit the large residential road that leads up to the school, of course, it starts to rain. I glance up and I can see the hordes of teenagers ahead either making a break down the rather long road in a bid to stay dry or numerous umbrellas being put up.

I reach towards my bag before I remember that I left my coat and my umbrella in my room, I meant to grab them before I left but I suppose I was too busy trying to get out of there before someone could start talking to me.

“Crap!” I exclaim rather loudly as I throw my bag back over my shoulder and try to wrap my blazer round me as tightly as possible.

While I was contemplating if putting my blazer over my head would be more productive in this scenario, I heard the muffled thud of a wooden gate to my right. This was followed by some rather boisterous laughter splintering through the rainfall.

Before I could even look around to see who was laughing rather heartily at my misfortune, the cold persistent sensation of water drumming against my head had stopped. When I looked up I could see the inside of a bright green umbrella above me, shielding me from the weathers onslaught.

To my right, and attached to the bright green umbrella was the source of the laughter.

prev chapter